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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

'Cannibal cop' pal indicted on kidnapping-conspiracy charge

An alleged co-conspirator in the notorious "cannibal cop" case has been indicted on a kidnapping-conspiracy charge, the feds announced today.Michael Van Hise, an auto mechanic from New Jersey, is accused of using email to scheme with NYPD cop Gilberto Valle on Feb. 28 of last year "about kidnapping an identified woman (the 'Victim') in exchange for United States currency," according to his Manhattan federal court indictment.Two days later, on March 1, Valle "was present on the block in Manhattan on which the Victim's apartment building is located," the indictment says.The feds have alleged that Valle, 28, was conducting surveillance of the woman, who lives on the Upper East Side and last week was referred to in court papers as "Ms. F."Van Hise, 22, is one of three people with whom Valle allegedly plotted over the Internet to kidnap, rape, torture, cook and eat women.Neither of the other two -- including someone who used the online nickname "Moody Blues" and claimed to be a butcher in India -- have been charged.Valle contends that his all of his online writings were merely expressions of "dark" sexual fantasies, and lawyers for both him and Van Hise have accused the feds of arresting Van Hise to try and keep him from testifying on Valle's behalf.Jury selection for Valle's trial is scheduled to begin Friday, with opening statements set for Feb. 25.Both he and Van Hise face up to life in prison if convicted.Van Hise's lawyers didn't immediately return a request for comment.